5 Gambian Dalasis Banknote (Giant Kingfisher)

5 Dalasis Dalasi (Issued 2019-2023)

The typography of the 5 Dalasis note from The Gambia’s 2019–2023 series opens with a confident, serif-style heading reading “Central Bank of The Gambia” positioned prominently across the upper portion of the note, accompanied by the formal promise-to-pay inscription “Promise to pay on demand the sum of Five Dalasis” rendered in clean, precise lettering. The denomination text appears both in English and in Arabic script — “دالاسي خمسة” — reflecting The Gambia’s linguistic heritage and the inclusive character of its modern currency design. The numeral “5” is repeated across the note in bold, highly legible type, reinforcing the denomination with clarity and authority. Together, these typographic choices communicate a formally structured, modern central banking identity rooted in both international and regional tradition.

On the front, the dominant visual element is a large, finely detailed engraving of a kingfisher — identifiable by its spotted breast plumage, long pointed bill, and bold upright posture — rendered in rich purplish-pink and dark tones against a lighter central panel. The bird stands prominently to the right of centre, set against what appears to be a palm frond or feathered foliage backdrop, with fine line engraving capturing the texture of each individual feather with considerable precision. To the left, a smaller vignette depicts a pair of helmeted guineafowl, rendered in white and pink intaglio against the note’s warm rose-red background. The background throughout the front face is dominated by an intricate guilloché latticework of deep crimson and rose-pink geometric patterns, with diagonal hatching and fine-line rosette formations filling the margins and corners with dense security printing. The Gambia’s national coat of arms appears to the right, featuring a shield, supporters, and a scroll, printed in fine detail. The year “2019” is printed in small numerals near the coat of arms. The serial number “Z0033033” appears twice — once vertically along the left edge in red and once horizontally in bold black numerals across the lower centre of the note. Below the serial number, a repeated sequence of micro-printed “5”s runs in a horizontal band, serving as a security feature. Two signature lines appear beneath the central bird vignette, labelled “Governor” and “Deputy Governor” respectively, with cursive signatures printed above each title. A vertical security strip is embedded within the paper on the left half of the note, visible as a thin metallic or holographic thread running from top to bottom. The overall colour palette is a warm, saturated crimson-rose throughout, with lighter ivory tones in the central engraving panel providing contrast and depth.

The reverse carries the “Central Bank of The Gambia” inscription once more across the top in the same serif typeface, with the numeral “5” appearing in large format in both the upper right and lower left corners, and the words “Five Dalasis” printed in clean text at the lower left. The central vignette is a detailed intaglio scene depicting cattle herding — several large cattle, rendered with careful attention to musculature and hide texture, are shown grazing and being led by a figure across what appears to be open pastureland with trees visible in the background, evoking The Gambia’s agricultural economy and rural life. This central scene is printed in a greyscale-to-pink tonal range that gives it a photographic depth within the note’s broader crimson-rose palette. To the lower right of the reverse, a secondary vignette again shows the helmeted guineafowl motif, echoing the front design and providing visual continuity across both faces. The background is filled with the same guilloché geometric latticework seen on the front — interlocking diamond and rhombus patterns in deep crimson — and a horizontal band of fine repeating decorative borders runs along the lower margin of the note. The paper itself shows a clean, slightly textured finish consistent with high-quality cotton-fibre banknote substrate.

Wondering who buys foreign coins and notes? Webuyallcurrency.com does — a 5 Dalasis banknote like this is accepted alongside other current Gambian Dalasis banknotes, so you can exchange the lot for cash at once.

• Indicate the quantity of 5 Dalasis Dalasi banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com brings all your foreign currency together: exchange or sell Gambian Dalasis banknotes and other old, withdrawn or modern coins and notes for cash, with no specialist knowledge needed.

Other Gambian Dalasis you can exchange: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200.